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-   -   Review: 1st-gen Honda Amaze (2013) (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/134501-review-1st-gen-honda-amaze-2013-a-21.html)

I agree. A quick look at Dzire prices tells me that the ZDi costs around 9.15L OTR (Bangalore). So if Honda wants to make a difference, they should price it equal to or lower than Suzuki (maybe for first few months, or a year). Another aspect Honda should make sure is about drawing a fine line in getting the demand supply in place.
Having said that, they should never tilt towards quantity over quality. I think someone who is interested in Honda, will not mind waiting for few weeks/month/s.

I hope to see a iDtec vs MJT review soon.

This is cost cutting. MP3 format is a compressed synthetic sound, only 512 frequencies are present in a frame of signal where as the CDDA Audio CD can reis recorded with all the frequencies uncompressed. Most of the audiophiles prefer CDDA. VW, AUDI, GM still have 6 CD changers till now. Although there is a new AAC format that contain compressed audio with 1024 frequencies per frame, these are all lossy CODECs, CDDA is a lossless Audio, non-synthetic. A CD mechanism costs more as well.

All this doesn't make any sense unless the speakers and the soundstage in your car is such that you can decipher the nuances.

Not quite agree. Even CD has compressed digital sound if you compare with analog sound as we (rather I, I am sure many in this forum don't belong to the "we") used to hear in let's say in Long Playing records or spool tapes. That's a fact.

Some argue that the sound in films belonging to pre-digital era were livelier than the digital sound being produced today by Dolby of DTS. They claim that the sound is "synthetic", while previously sound used to be "pure". That, I believe is mindset.

Yes, codecs are important. But what is more important is how you interpret the codecs. A proper music system, which can interpret the codecs is more important than the codecs themselves. A Ravi Shankar Sitar played in a tinny music system will never seem nice compared to a proper system. The same music, played differently will sound different.

A good system properly capable of interpreting MP3 will not make any difference even if Amaze doesn't have a CD player/changer/whatever.

For any theoretical comparison, please refer to this: http://www.keithstead.com/and_more/cd_vs_mp3.html

+1. I bet that most people would not be able to tell the difference between a 320 Kbps MP3 and a lossless audio file on the kind of audio systems that we use normally on our cars. If someone still feels that their ears are that good, I would recommend them to take this test - http://lifehacker.com/5903625/mp3-or...with-this-test

CDs are on its way out. Most developed nations depend on online mp3 ( 320 Kbps ) for their music needs. Even Apple don't have cd/dvd players on their latest range of products.

New AAC codec? You're not referring to ALAC are you? Which by definition is lossless.

Very true. For most car audio systems, 320kbps mp3 or 256kbps AAC is fine.

the answer is hi-res audio files. 24bits sampled at 96khz. Finally, there is a digital answer to analog.

True - that's a fact of life but its a sad fact of life because good sound is now hard and expensive to acquire and play.

Exactly my point! If the old technology continues to show up, there will be hardly any innovation in that particular field for improvisation. Apple is a classic example. The move from external HDD to SSD which is crazy fast and reliable is another example.

Theoretically yes. Even better would be 24 bits sampled at 192 kHz.

However, 24 bit 48 kHz has become the Industry standard all over the world -- in the digital cinema domain. Dolby and DTS give us 24 bit 48 kHz in the theaters in 5.1 mix (5.1 = left, right, centre, left surround, right surround and subwoofer).

In case of 3.1 mix (3.1 = left, right, surround, subwoofer), they use 16 bit 44 kHz.

Again, the life-like quality that is being achieved in the theaters is not because of the bit rates, but due to the Dolby and DTS processors.

+1 to that. I do not remember the last time I burned a CD with MP3 files in it. I stopped buying CDs with non-MP3 songs a long long time ago. In this era of iTunes and Flyte who wants to use a CD anyways.

Way to go Honda, Amaze me again !!!

Think about the saving in storage space.
All those CDs fit on a USB drive, aptly named Cruzer Fit :D

I agree on the CD/USB thing. I personally like the way honda has done away with the cumbersome CDs.There are a lot of CDs in our family getz and it takes up a whole lot of space. In my city, a single 8 gb USB drive caters to all my needs. Added to that, the USB drive and AUX cable are neatly hidden behind the display panel. Cool.
B.t.w, the above pic sums it up nicely !

I'm sorry but I have to disagree with you.
Let us say two of tbhpians are traveling in two amaze.
1. One of them (A) has filled his boot with 20kgs worth traveling luggage
2. The other (B) has his boot empty
3. Both of them are traveling at a constant speed of 100kmph when they need to brake suddenly.
4. (A) will have more traction compared to (B) because of the additional weight at the boot resulting in better braking and less stopping distance. (A's) amaze won't nose dive also.

Of course this will not always work because if this is the case then trucks and buses must be exceptional at stopping. I think finding the balance between mass and braking power would be essential.

I guess Honda should've updated the prices by now. Any news guys?

To me, not having a CD player is a big negative. For my main system at home, I mainly use CDs . Ripping all that to MP3 just to listen in the car seems like a big waste of time to me. While I agree that a lot of car systems dont really see any extra benefit from CDs, doing away with the option to play them altogether in an OEM sytem seems to be taking things too far.

They have not updated the price so far and the sales rep is tight lipped as well. Funny that the counter on the Honda site has gone crazy and now shows that the launch is 234 days away.

Lot of people are waiting for the prices, Honda stop keeping us in the dark and unveil the shroud of mystery behind the prices. There is so much speculation surrounding the pricing, members who have booked the car any news from your end?.